PMC to buy 100 tonnes bicarbonate for PoP idols

PMC’s solid waste management department had submitted a proposal to the Standing Committee to purchase bicarbonate. The committee will take final decision during its meeting on Thursday.

PUNE: The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has decided to buy 100 tonnes of ammonium bicarbonate to dissolve idols made from plaster of paris (PoP). For last three years, the civic body is purchasing bicarbonate from Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) to dissolve PoP idols in bicarbonate solution.

PMC’s solid waste management department had submitted a proposal to the Standing Committee to purchase bicarbonate. The committee will take final decision during its meeting on Thursday. SWM Department has estimated that it will cost Rs 18 lakh to purchase ammonium bicarbonate. The PMC started procuring bicarbonate in huge quantity from 2016 after National Chemical Laboratory carried out all tests and it has been proven that idols dissolve in ammonium bicarbonate solution in two days.

Last year, the civic body had distributed around 85 tonnes of bicarbonate. It claimed that around 25,000 idols immersed in water were dissolved using ammonium bicarbonate.

GANESH IDOLS
The proportion of idol weight and bicarbonate is 1:1. As idol weight increases, bicarbonate quantity will also increase. Water can be taken in any utensil and five litre water and one kg of bicarbonate needs to be added. After stirring it well, idol can be immersed in the solution. It takes maximum two days to dissolve the idol and the residue can be used as fertiliser.